Mapua secures semis spot
Clint Escamis delivered an allaround performance as Mapua thumped Perpetual, 69-53, and secured a Final Four spot in the NCAA Season 99 men’s basketball tournament on Wednesday, Nov. 15, at the Filoil Ecooil Centre in San Juan City.
The MVP contender Escamis finished with 17 points, four rebounds, four assists, six steals and a block to spearhead the Cardinals' third quarter flurry and tally their biggest lead at 22, 56-34, which they preserved until the final buzzer.
Mapua tallied its fourth straight win and improved to a league-pacing 13-3 record.
Warren Bonifacio chalked up 11 points, six rebounds and three assists while Jopet Soriano had 10 points, seven rebounds and two steals for the Cardinals.
After struggling in the first half, Escamis, Soriano and Bonifacio connived for a 27-15 scoring in the third period which was enough to build an insurmountable lead going to the fourth.
Art Roque and Christian Pagaran tried to rally Perpetual back in the fourth frame but the mountain was just too tall to conquer.
Roque registered
13 points and 12 rebounds while Pagaran backed him with nine points and four rebounds in a losing cause.
The Altas saw their four-game wins streak come to an end for an 8-8 win-loss record.
Perpetual's fate is no longer on its hand as aside from needing to win its last two games, the team should wish the other contenders lose their remaining matches.
The scores
Mapua 69- Escamis 17, Bonifacio 11, Soriano 10, Cuenco 8, Dalisay 6, Recto 4, Rossilos 4, Morenos 4, Hernandez 3, Igiliane 2, Asuncion 0, Bancale 0, Sabsalon 0
Perpetual 53- Roque 13, Pagaran 9, Abis 7, Nitura 6, Razon 6, Gelsano 4, Omega 3, Barcuma 3, Ferreras 2, Nunez 0, Boral 0, Cuevas 0
Quarterscores: 11-8; 29-21; 56-36; 69-53